Need to encourage sports and players: Dhanraj Pillai

VARANASI: There was a need to promote sporting culture at the grass root level to help Indian sports grow at international level, said former captain of Indian hockey team and Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna awardee Dhanraj Pillai while inaugurating two-day national seminar on recent trends and future of physical education and sports science, organised by the department of physical education, Mahatma Gandhi Kashi Vidyapeeth (MGKV), on Tuesday.

Saying former Indian players, who had performed well for the country, needed to be encouraged to help build a formidable team and perform the role of mentors and coaches, the former Olympian also emphasised on the need to update sports technology to match and compete with international standards.

Later, the top hockey player of the country also released a book Mohammed Shahid and Indian Hockey, written by Dr SK Gautam, assistant professor, department of Physical Education, MGKV on life and achievement of former hockey great and local hero Mohd Shahid, who was also present as guest of honour at the programme.

Presiding over the inaugural session, MGKV vice-chancellor Avadh Ram highlighted the significance of sports in university education system for the all-round development of students. He also appreciated the efforts of the players from the university who had brought laurels at national and international level.

Organising chairman and dean, Faculty of Humanities, MGKV, Aziz Haider highlighted the aims and objectives of the two-day seminar that strived to bring together students, sporting faculties, players, sports officers and other stake holders to exchange ideas on emerging challenges and recent trends in Indian sports.

Earlier, Dhanraj Pillai also gave useful tips to hockey players from MGKV during an interaction programme.